The Sun. — London, England, 1864-06-22 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, Covent-garden. There will both in this week and in next week be five opera nights, viz., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Extra Night, Mdlle. Fr'cci, Madame Did lee ; M. Faure, Signor Ciampi, Signor Roncuni, Herr Schmid, and Signor Tamberlik. TO-MORROW EVENING (Thursday' June 23, will be performed, for the last time but one this season, Mozart's opera, in two acts, DON GIOVANNI, with the follow ng powerful cart:—Donna Anna, Mdlle. Fried; Zerlina, Mdme. Didree; Elv,ra, Madame Rudersdorff; Dun Giovanni, M. Faure ; Leporello, Signor Ciampi Masetto, Signor Ronconi ; Il Commeudatore, Herr Schmid; and Don Ottavio, tigncr Tamberlik. ------ ----- The minuet will be danced by Mdlle. Salvioni and M. espiaces. Conductor, Mr. Costa. Commence at half past Eight. Pit tickets, 7s. ; amphitheatre eta is, 10s. 6d., 75., and ss. ; amphitheatre.;2s. 6d. Boxes, stalls, and tickets may be had at the box-office under the portico of the theatre, which is apen from ten to five, and at the principal musicsellers' and librarians'. ITER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Last Two %Veeks of the Sub , cription. GRAND EXTRA NIGHT. Third Appearance of Madame Harriers-Wippern, ROBERT LE DIABLE. THIS EVENING (Wednesday , June 22, will be performed keyerbeer's chef-d'oeuvre, ROBERT LE DIABLE. Signori Gardoni, Bettini, Fricca first appearance this sea son), Gassier, bossi ; Mesdames Liebhart, 3lorlacchi, and Harriers- Wippern (third appearance in r ngland). Conductor, Signor Commence at Half-past Eight. To-morrow Evening (Thursd yr`, June 23d.—Positive Pro duction of FIDELIO. Friday Morning next, June 24th.— Grand Combined Per formance hi &id of the Funds of the Royal Academy of Music Saturday, June 25th.—Second Night of FIDELIO. botice. Gounod's celebrated Opera, FAUST, will shortly be rek.eated. Pit Tickets, 7s. ; Reserved Box Seats, 10s. 6d. ; Amplil theatrr stalls, is. and 7s. ; Gallery, 2s. 6d. ; Private Byes, in the Upper t.ircle, 21s. Box Office of the Theatre open daily, from 10 tlll e, where places may be secured ; also at Mitchell's, Bubb's, Lacon and 011ier's, Bond-street ; Leader's, Opera Colonnade ; Sam's, St. James's-street; Cramer. Wood , a nd Co. ' s, and Hammond's. it egent-street ; Keith, Prowse , and Co. 's , Cheapsideand at Chappell and Co.'s, 50, New Bond-street. ITER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. FRIDAY MORNING NEXT, June 21th, GRAND PERFORMANCE (Under the Most Illustrious Patronage), combining all the Eminent Artis es, Orchestra, and Chorus of Her Majesty's Theatre, in AID of the FUNDS of the ROY AL ACADEMY of MUSIC. Doors open at Half-past One. Commence at Two o'clock precisely. Prices :—Grand Tier Boxes, £1 4s. ; One Pair, £3 38. ; Pit Boxes, £3 ; Two Pair, £2 12s. 61. ; Halt-Circle Boxes, £1 ls. ; Ordiemtra Stalls, each, £1 ls. ; Reserved Box Seats, 1(4. 6d. ; Amphitheatre Stalls, 7s. and is. ; Pit, is.; Gallery, 2s. 6d. Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets may be had at the Box-office 01 the Theatre, open ally from ten tint ix. THEATRE ROYAL HAYNIARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVENING. THE BALANCE OF COMFORT. Mr. Howe and Miss L. Angel. After which, DAVID GARRICK. Messrs. Sothern, Chippendale, Buckstone, Rogers, Clark, Weatheraby, &c. ; Mesdames Snowden, Nelly Moore, Fitzwilliam. Followed by (fore the 9th time) LORD DUNDREARY MARRIED AND DONE FOR. To conclude with TURNING THE TABLES. Mr. Compton, sir. Howe, &c. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. Last 4 Nights of Hamlet and the present Season, Mr. FECHTEIt will perform HAMLET THIS EVENING (Wednesday). Claudius, Mr. Emery ; Polonius, Mr. John Brougham; Ghost, Mr. G. Jordan; Laertes, Mr. C. Vanden heft ; Horatio, Mr. J. G. Shore ; First Gravedifger, Mr. H. Widdicomb ; Osric, Mr. F. Charles ; Messrs. W 31‘Intyre, F. Morton, Raymond, Moreland, Clifford, Edmonds, Wall bank, Collett ; Ophelia, Miss Kate Terry ; Actress, Miss 3I Henrade ; and Gertruie, Miss Elsworthy. The Scenery painted by Mr. W. Telbin. Notice.—The doors open at half-past 7, and Hamlet corn tenees at 8. Box Office open daily from Eleven o'clock till Five. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Sole Lesee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining'. THIS EVENING will be performed a new and original Drama, by R. Slous, Esq., entitled LIGHT AND SHADOW. Mr. D. Murray, D. Fisher, .J. W. Ray, J. Nelson, &c. ; Miss :Stafford and suiss Caroline Carson. Atter which, THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Louis and Fabien dei Franchi, Mr. Vining; Chateau .Renaud, Mr. WalLer Lacy. NEW THEA FRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.- Sale Proprlutor and Manager. Mr. B. Webster. TFIIS EVENING, SHAKSFERE'S HOUSE. Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. R. Phillips. Followed by THE DEAD HEART: Robert Landry (his original character), Mr. Benjamin Webster, uppo ted by Messrs. A. r tirling, J. L. Toole, T. Stuart, t'aul Bedford, Ellington ; Miss Woolgar (Mrs. Alfred Mellon), Miss Kelly, dr.c. After which, TETE AREA BELLE, with a Horrible Tale: Alessrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, tt. RomerMiss Woolgar, and Mrs. H. Lewis. Commence at 7. R OYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, under the Manaqement of IlEr. B. VirEBSTER. Crowded with rank and fashion.— The highly successtul new Ccinrdy, by Di,,n Boucic2.ult,Esq., every Evening. Re•engagement of those ce ebra fed and popular artistes, .11r• an Mrs. Charles Mathews Amongst the artists engaged will be found the popular nßoaes or Mr. Beajamin Webster, Mr. Charle , Mathews. Mr. Frank Matthews, Mr. J. L. Toole. Mr. .r. Clarke, Mr. P .ul Bedford, Mr. F. itobinson. Mr. Ashley ; Mrs. Chas. Mathews, Mina Herbert, Mrs. Frank Matthews, Miss H. Simms, Miss A. Cottrell, Miss Fanny Josephs, Miss Patti Josephs, Miss Wentworth, and Mrs. Stirling - . EVERY EVENING, at 7, A DAY AFTER THE WEDDING. Miss Herbert. At a quarter before 8, an entirely new and ori2inal Comedy, In 5 acts, by Dion Boucicault, entitled THE FOX CHACE. Characters by Mr. Charles Mathews, Mr. Frank Matthews, Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. F. Robinson, Mr. Ash ey, Mr. W. Chain er laine ; JD's. Chas. Mathews, Mrs. Frank Matthews, and Miss Henrietta:Simms. At 10, by par icular desire, COOL AS A CUCUMBi,R. Mr. Charles Mathews. To conclude with SHAKE HANDS : Mr. J. Clarke; Misr Fanny Josephs. Commence at 7. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, DEAF AS A POST. Mr. Thorne. Followed by THE MAID OF HONOUR. Miss Ada bwanborough. After which, MAZOURKA. Messrs. Honey, James, Fenton, Turner, ..tc. ; Misses Marie Wilton, Simpson, &c. To conclude with TIMOTHY TO THE RESCUE. Mr. T. Thorne. Commence at 7. DARTS BONNETS for JUNE.—Messrs. JAY'S ;a z Manager has Ws day returned from Paris with an !fLortrnent of the most elegant and fashionable Summer Bonnets, selected from the magasins of the first houses in that city. JAY'S, The London General Mourning Warehouse, June 1, 1864. 217 , 2i9, and 2M, Regent-street. N OVEL STYLE in FRENCH BONNETS.— French fash'on has produced Bonnets for this month of a light go samer texture, which accimmodate the present the lady's h i r . Th e y are of style of wearirig anei disolayiig the most exquisite variety, and, though still adhering to the favourite colours of black white, and neutral, are entirely remodelled in shape, size, and substance. Spe,ially imported from Paris for JAY'S, The Lc=l,on General slournincr, arehouse, 247, 249, and 251, Regent-sWtreet. COALS. —The LILLESHALL COMPAisiy,s COALS. Direct from their own Collieries. Marquis'. 23s. per ton. Double.. ....... 205. per ton. Top 22a. Deep .2le. Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De pots, Westbourne Park-road, W., and 17 South Wharf, Paddington, W., and Maiden-lane, N. Beet Coke Terms cash. JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent. 11HE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," Containing the Latest SPORTING. INTELLIGENCE, an be had Every Evening of G. Et. GLhNIE, NEWS AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde -part The Weather—Sun Office, June 22, 1864. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock 64 Barometer-30.05. ; light breeze, and eloudy at times. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Isms D AL —Morning, 3h. 32m.—Afternocn, 3h. ssln. 7 . 0- Koanow.-Monain g , 4).. 17m.—Afternoon. 4h. 40m. g eitso y zun, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1864. Everything gives plainer and pl a i ner i ndication that the Government have certainly muddled their Foreign Policy—but more particularly their Foreign Policy in the matter of this miserable Dano-German war—to perfection ! They have done it now—with a vengeance ! But—the vengeance ;will come to them and not from them. It will come to them both in the Lords and the Commons. And not alone from the side of the Opposition. Patriotic and independent Peers on the Liberal side of the House of Lords, like Earl GREY, will, at this juncture, we nny rest perfectly Well assured,be quite asuncompr3mising'yontspcker , as the Earl of DERBY himself, the Leader of the CJwservative Opposition. Patriotic and indepen dent repKeoentatives of the people, again, ranged on the Ministerial side of the House of Com mons—such a thoroughly out-speaking M.P., let us say, as Mr, BERNAL OSBORNE—wiII seize the opportunity now, we may be certain of that, quite as readily, q•aite as eagerly to condemn this meddling and muddling of Earl RUSSELL'S as be tween the Danes and the Germans, quite as readily, quite as eagerly as the right hon. gentleman the member for Buckinghamshire. Why do we say this, and thus confidently, Ili on the very day set apart for the sitting of the Conference here in London ? Because, simply, upon this very day, the worst anticipations as to what would ensue from all this pottering and procrastination, from all these delays and mystifications have, so far as any reasonable human being can judge, been to the full realised. On the wings of the lightning, the telegram comes to us this afternoon from Frankfort-ou-the- Main, from the old Imperial capital of Germany—and it comes thus and thence as ominously as though in a rolling crash of thunder, heralding a general war in Europe. " Prussia," says the Telegram, " rejects the English proposals relative to the line of demarcation in Schleswig. She also rejects the arbitration of any Power represented at the Conference. Prussia will not recognise the decision of any arbitrator as binding, Out will take it into consideration." There is talk, too, about Prussia's readiness to accede to any pro posal for a prolongation of the armistice—but, in that event for a prolongation of not less than two months. Prussia saying this probably from a consciousness that any prolongation of the armistice, much less a prolongation of it for a couple of months; it would be impossible to obtain Denmark's consent to ! Wherefore Prussia babbles about i: with an air of safe magnanimity, "It is believed," adds the Frankfort telegram, " that the last sitting of the Conference will take place to-day, and that hosti lities will commence on Monday. The armistice terminating in due coarse, that is on Sun day ! From Vienna meanwhile comes another intimation indicative of Austria's readiness (if she can only find a plausible excuse for it!) to back out of a war threatening, at last, to become complicated into, what must prove for her, very formidable dimensions! The Kaiser's hinted wish now being to have the matter here in dispute, so far as it relates to Austria, sub mitted to the arbitration of the Emperor NAPOLEON. Not to the arbitration of England, observe—Eng land, so " fallen from her high estate" under the regime of Earl RLSSELL—but to the arbitration of NAPOLEON ! Here, however, the suggestion is blurted out merely through semi-cfficial channels. The notion of arbitration being simultaneously rejected beforehand by Prussia—supp ,sing that arbitra tion to be one dreamt of by any Crowned head re presented at the board of this abortive Conference. Altogether, a charming prospect! For which we are indebted mainly, if nut solely, to our own Govern ment. A prospect, in one phrase, be it said, of con fusion worse confound,,d. It is satisfactory to find that the " Gaols Bill' has been read a second time. It would be very provoking if another session were lost and more time wasted without coming to any definite settle ment of this question, and making any alterations in a system which so imperatively calls for charge. Sir GEORGE GREY showed great discretion in con senting to some of the changes that were proposed and thus avoiding the chance of being defeated in his attempt to get the bill through this stage. It is true that there was a division, but not one which involved any risk. The difficulties that lie in the way of these changes are very great, and one of the chief obstacles is found in 1 : he fact that the mention of the case always brings forth the latent pr►ejudices and excitcs the angry criticism of those who must find some fault, and are resolved to put their veto upon the proceedings in some shape or other. Sir G. GREY'S statement was a sensible exposition of the matter. There are few subjects of legislation l i which offer more complication than those connecter. with prisons, but that is no reason why some reme dial change should not be effected. " Hard laoour" bas engaged much of the attention of the committee of the House of Lords, and there seems valid grounds fur their endeavers to arbitrate on that point. They recommended that there should be a striot dEfini- tion of the term, and this is only reasonable, and a change greatly called for, since it has been found on examination that this part of the discipline has been very much neglected. Mr. ADDERLEY laid great stress on this, and very truly declared that it was imperative to make a decided de fiaition. It is well known to all attentive observers of the subject that if some impassable barriers are not put up advantage will be taken in every direction, and that virtually the effect of discipline is nullified by the introduction of change, and the laxity too generally observed. It is shocking to contemplate the pictures drawn by those who have visited some of those gaols, and to think of the criminal taking his ease, as it were, while honest poverty is toiling without the prison wall, and wearing out strength, health, and spirits in the weary struggle for exist ence. Doubtless from the best motives and actuated by the kindest feelings, some well-meaning but mistaken individuals have been very instrumental in affording the prisoners every possible relaxation from their toil, end also in giving them many luaertes which, properly speaking, they should never enjoy. It is only by the exercise of a firm will (Jed the interposition of a strong hand that these anomalies can be rectified, and this very un suitable atate of affaire ameliorated. It is well that Mr. ADDEp,Lvz made such a strong point of " hard labour," as that doubtless tended in a great measure to ensure the fulfilment of the designs of the Com mittee. After varying considerably in different p aces, in some prisons hard labour meant nothing at all. Not a course su b vers i ve o f dis cipline, blrk some for a prisoner to o t i t only is also is eachm moat have nothing to do. Mr. AD DERLEY also in s isted on the ex p necessityressed his for opinionuniformitythat among the gaols, and g)od res u lt s wou ld certainly follow from this practice. As thi ngs h ave hitherto been arranged ther e seems n o conformity to rules, and " in a considerable numb er of gaol s there were no rules at all, and some ruleseontained every possible absurdity that could come into the head of the wildest theorist." This is sure to be the case where attention is not paid to orders—dis. crepancies will ercep in, and, finally, no one could recognise the proportions of the system as it was originally devised, previously to the omissions and corruptions that have been gradually introduced and fostered. It is not the question whether the present plan will be more convenient, more com• fortable, or more practicable; but whether it will more efficiently carry out the purpose which it should effect, and more fully develope the scheme of reformation, or at all events of discipline, which it should be one of the first objects of all imprison ment to realise. Those who cavil at the change pro posed, and animadvert upon the prospect of this alteration, seem to partially ignore, if not entirely to overlook the fact, that the present system is about as faulty as it can possibly be. It is rife with in consistencies, teems with improprie es, abounds in absurdities, and altogether has been a reproach to our lawgivers, and a grievance to the community. If the plan ie simplified, and the ss;yeral prisons and gaols are managed in a more uniform system, it is certain that the task of supervision will be simplified, and the general process rendered more satisfactory. Besides, if these changes are not deemed sufficient, when carried into effect, it will be easy to make an addition or alteration hereafter in tie practice, but no mistake can be greater than co do nothing in the way of practical interference and reformatory legislation. The effect produced on all classes would be generally detrimental, while among the prisoners it would exercise a very perni cious influence. On all accounts, then, it seems satisfactory that Sir G. GREY has succeeded in so far carrying this Bill through Parliament, and the moderation he has displayed affords a good hope that he will be able to see it become law before the close of the present session, It is a curious subject for the attentive observer to speculate upon, this daculty that we have had in the management of our convicts and prisoners of late years, and the solution will not be readily arrived at. At all events, it shows that there is not progress every where, and that, with all our boasted resources, we often make mistakes and fail to realise results as our forefathers did. It is called a safe extreme one, but experience has shown it to be a very dangerous one to persist in modifying the severity of all prison laws until the dwellers therein come to regard the whole affair very much in the light of a nonentity. The old proverb respecting the month of March has been strikingly exemplified in the case of the Government Annuities Bill. On its first introduc tion the Chancellor of the Exchequer explained its provisions with his wonted eloquence and ability, but in the course of his exposition he made such strong remarks upon the general management of friendly societies, and brought in so many per• sonalities, that a storm of opposition was forthwith raised both within and without the doors of the House. Hon. members who had been in any way connected with such societies seemed to regard the bill as ,an aspersion on their characters, and they were accordingly ready with word and vote to offer it all the opposition in their power, Outside the Parliamentary walls private interests were not less busy in organising a formidable opposition. Public meetings were got up, and working men were induced to believe that a measure designed wholly and solely for the benefit of themselves and their families was nothing but an unwarrantable attack upon their constitutional liberties Happily, all has passed away under the magic of a select corn mittee, and Monday evening saw the bill which had given cccasion to so much attack and defence, mutual recrimination, charges and counter-charges, pass through its final stage, amidst nothing but courtesies and congratulations, exchanges of corn pliments, and expressions of goodwill. It is true that some important additions have been made to the measure, and some modifications of it have improved its power and substance ; but the principle upon which it was originally founded remains the same, now that it has become law, anti consequently tnere is good reason to congratulate the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the country at large on so valuable an addition to our legislation. The fact is that the bill was so much needed, it offered such valuable facilities to the working man for se curing the independence of his family, it tends so much to protect him against the fraudulent or im provident application of his hard-earned savings, that when impartial and well-qualified judges began to examine into its structure there could be but little doubt of the result. It shows the diffe rence between a party measure and a scheme for the national good, irrespective of political conside rations. - When the angry feelings too rashly and carelessly excited by Mr. GLADSTONE had subsided, a fair inquiry into the case brought forward such a mass of evidence to substantiate all the arguments on behalf of the bill tnat there could be but one result. It is worthy of notice, that in the principal difference of opinion which took place in the cogi tations of the committee, a division took place in which the greater part of those who supported Mr. GLADSTONE'S view of the case were his original opponents, while those on the other aide had been all along favourable to the measure. Mr. GLAD STONE himself cited this singular fact as a proof of the impartiality with which the committee had examined into the matter. The point on which its members were at issue on the occasion referred to was one of considerable importance, and the question was whether the assurance created under the bill should be a property transferable by law. The Chancellor of the Exchequer took the affirmative side, and it was happily decided in his favour, since many instances might arise in which the operation of such a permissive clause might be very advantageous. Other changes were made in the bill, many of them of a restrictive cha racter, which never had the effect of removing the objections made to it. Mr. SOTHERON ESTCOURT, who at first made many such objections, now ex presses himself as being most anxious for its suc cess. He had feared that the Government was likely to interfere with private enterprise, but the introduction of words limiting any payment made after death to the sum of £lOO quite removed that fear. Then he had been apprehensive that the bill would injuriously affect those establishments and associations which are got up and managed exclu sively by working men. Tbie objection was removed by the enactment that no contracts for payments made at death should be for less than £2O, so that the opposite dangers are guarded against by these two limitation clauses. The stipulation that the tables on which payments are calculated shall be based on a 3 per cent, rate tended still further to remove any idea that the Government scheme would compete injuriously with fairly established indepen dent companies. Such companies have little to fear from a scheme whose profits are so small, whose rat e of interest so low, and whose operation is confined within such strict limits. On the other hand, there can be no doubt that it offers most solid and lasting advantages to the prudent and industrious. It is especially useful for young men of the working class, who, before they marry can thus lay up a store and ensure their families from destitution in case of their death. The amount ensured for would enable a working man's widow to enter upon some respectable means of gaining a livelihood, would help her to apprentice her children, to pay her rent, and provide for any other expenses contingent on her husband's illness and death. Mr. GLADSTONE decided that the condition attached to savings banks deposits was not app:icable to these annities, so that the fact of eff.. cring an insurance under this act will not hinder the insurer from depositing any make in an or di nary sav i ngs b an k. savings he m ay Working men will not be slow to find out the ad vantages which it offers to them; and we trust it may tend, by its successful operation, greatly to diminish that distress and destitution which so often adds heavily to the weight of a domestic be reavement in the labouring classes, and the pros pect of which for those dear to him must often eine bitter the last hours of a working man. ABD-EL-KADER is about take up big residence on the estate at Biraboubeblah in the Isthmus, Which has been given to him by the Suez Canal Company. THE ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION Rill be opened in the evening, as cf late years, at the end of the eighth week of its cohtinunce, on the 27th mot, V 4 E SU\, 1,015.90.N' WEDNEDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1664. LATEST INTELLIGENCE [REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.] REJECTION OF THE ENGLISH PROPOSALS BY PRUSSIA. FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN, JUNE 22. Prussia rejects the English proposals relative to the line of demarcation in Saleswig. She also rejects the arbitration of any Power represented at the Conference. Prussia will not recognise the decision of any arbitrator as binding, but will take it in into consideration. A prolongation of the armistice will be accepted by Prussia, but not for less than two months. It is believed that the last sitting of the Con ference will take place to-thy, and that hostilities will be resumed on Monday. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, JUNE 22. The semi-official Vienna papers of tnis morning are in favour of the arbitration in the Dano- Germanic qtestion being submitted to the Emperor Napoleon. AMERICA. QUEENS r 0 WN, JUNE 22. The Inman steamship Etna, from New York on the 11th inst., arrived here at 5.31 a.m. today. She brings 223,836 dole, in specie, 164 mails, and the United States mails. Twenty-seven of her passengers were landed here, The Etna proceeded for Liverpool at 5.45 a.m. Her news has been anticipAted. SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 22. The North German Lloyd steamship New York, Captain Wenke, sailing hence to-day for New York, with the German, French, and English mails, takes out 118 saloon passengers and a large cargo, including 18 boxes of jewellery from Havre, value £8,940. SAXONY AND THE DUCHIES DRESDEN, JUNE 22. The First Chamber in yesterday's sitting una nimously adopted the declaration of the Chamber of Deputies opposing the division of Schleswig. CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. SUEZ, JUNE 21. The Rangoon, with the above m ails, reached Suez at 10 p.m., this day, OUTWARD MAILS OF 4TH TO 10TH JUNE. The Simla, with the above mails, left Suez on Sunday night (190 a.) FRANCE. PARIS, JUNE 22. The Constilutionel of to-day, in an article eigntd by M. Paulin Simayrac, stated that tEe loss of the Alabama has caused great agitation. All the letters from Cherbourg testify to the profound regret pre vailing in that town at the event. The Constitutionel also adds that from one end of France to the other the same feeling obtains, and that it is the generous nature of the French charac ter which always urges the nation to display their sympathy for the weak and their admiration for unfortunate bravery. BOURSE, June 21.—The market continues dull, but with previous prices maintained, Threes, for the Account, being now unvaried at 66tr. sc. Mobilier have slightly receded, having been last done at 1,062 f. 50c. Railway Market inanimate. The market closed as follows: 41 per Cents .. 03 50 Do. end month.... 3 per Cents Do. end month 66 05 Credit M0bi1ier....1057 50 Do, end m0nth....1057 50 Bank Shares 3395 Credit koncier —123,5 Roman BAIL !Italian Loan 69 65 Do. end month 69 65 Ditto Threes 43 New Mexican 55 25 aussian Austrian Splini , h Threes. ; 51 25 Home Debt. Deferred , 45 25 Cash. Account. Orleans 866 25 ~ 870 Northern 9BB 50 .. 99) Lyons and Nediterranean 877 50 .. 882 50 New ditto Southern WeJtern Eastern "- • • 645 - 648 75 500 - - 460 - 462 50 366 25 367 50 406 25 468 75 525 _ 526 25 437 50 440 - 563 75 567 50 Sardinian Austrian Lombard North of Spain Saragossa Ditto to Barcelona General Garibaldi, The following tranelition of a letter has been sent to u 8 for publication TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE " MOVIMENTO." In the supplement to No. 137 of your newspaper, under the head of " England," you quote an article of the Morning Post, to which I feel myself called upon to reply as follows : "Political associates and intimate friends, —You would do me a most signal favour if you would have the goodness to share with me the deep gratitude that I feel and that I owe to all those Englishmen whom I met and with whom I associated in their noble country, from the honest sons of labour to the illustrious men who preside over its Govern• went. " Know, then, that I decided upon visiting England in order to pay her a sacred debt of tratitude, anal that I with drew when I taought proper to do so, without any instiga tion whatever. . . "As to those under whose roof I was an honoured guest, it will never he possible for me to thank the , " sufficiently for the exceeding courtesy which they so splen didly lavished on me." Be so good as to publish the preceding, and consider me, yours, &c,, G. GAFCIBALDI• Caprera, May 22. HEALTH OF LONDON. (From the Register-General's Report.) The total number of deaths in London in the week that ended last Saturday was 1,296. The average number for the 24th week in ten years, 1854-63 is, with a correction for increase of population, 1,173. The excess in the present return above the estimated number is considerable —it amounts to 123. Measles continues to be the most prevalent in the epidemic class of diseases. It was fatal in the week in 85 cases. In the second weak of May there were 50 deaths from it; in the following week they rose to 87, and since th at time the weekly mortality has been of nearly the caw© amount. Measles prevails ch: c fly i n th e E as t districts. S ix d eaths from it were recorded in the Shor e ditch district , 7 i n Bethnal green, 6 in NV hitechapel, 7 in St. George•in - the -East, 9 in Mile-end Old•town, and 4in the Poplar dis trict. Fiv e children died of the same disease in the Goswell-street sub district. Three children of a dock labourer, aged respectively 6 months, 9 years, and 12 years, died of measles at 84, Hare street, Bethnal•green, and three other children in the same family are lying dangerously ill with the same complaint. Diarrheea now discovers a slight increase. The widow of a warehouseman, aged 63 years, died on the 14th inst., at 47, Northampton-road, Clerkenwell, of pulmo nary consumption, accelerated by the want of the necessaries of The son of a shipwright, aged 8 months, died on the 11th inst., at 231, High-street, Wapping, from bronchitis, acce lerated by want of nourishment through poverty. A labourer in an oilcloth factory was suffocated when sleeping in a heated room used for drying flooreloths. A boy died from inflammation of the brain caused by a pea lodging in his ear. A c , ,nirnercial traveiler, aged 38 years, died from drinking a bottle of French brandy at a draught. A girl, aged 6 years, died of abscess of the windpipe from swallowing a piece of ivory. Last week the births of 912 boys and 864 girls, in al, 1,776 children, were registered in London. In the 10 cor responding weeks of the years 1864 63 the average number (correcteJ) was 1,856. GRAND NIGHT FETE IN THE PARK OF VER SAILLES.—On the evening of Sunday, July 3d, will be held at the large Basin of Neptune, in the magnifi cent park of Versailles, the splendid night fete, which has excited very much interest in former years. The beautiful fountains flying in the electric light, the majestic alleys abundantly illuminated with lamps of various colours, an ample display of all sorts of fireworks in the air, and also on the waters, such as to create a msgia, unparalleled spectacle which every foreigner visiting Voris shrAlcl make a point of Saeing, LITERATURE. William Shakespeare. By Victor Hugo. Trans lated by A. Baillot. Oae vol., pp. 366. Hurst and Blackett. A magnificent rhapsody in glorification of Shak spere has here been penned by the illustrious author of " Les Miserables." Yet—glorification of Shak spere though it is, and issued to the world though it has been in the year of the Tercentenary of the Poet's Birth—the work, as the writer himself takes occasion to notify expressly at the very outset, was originally designed by him to further another pur- pose altogether. Considered purely with reference to that first intention of the author's on undertaking the composition of this work, it might be described not inaptly as a grand and prolonged flourish of trumpets upon the issue to the world of Victor Hogo'a son's translation into French of the writ.- ings of Shakspere. Victor Hugo himself says of the book—which, as will be seen above, he designates simply upo❑ his title-page " William Shakespeare" that its true title should be Apropos to Shakespeare. Nevertheless—though he thinks so and says EJ—we, for one, think not. We regard each of these two suggested titles as distinctly a misnomer. The one of them quite as much a mis nomer as the other : second thoughts for once, here, being no better than first—the old proverb to the contrary, nevertheless, notwithstanding. Although there are here, for example, upwards of 360 goodly pages, octavo, it is surprising to find how few of them are dedicated expressly to William Shak spere. Less than thirty recount anew the little there is known in regard to his " Life." That— leading off the first of the Three Parts into which the work is divided Part the Second, in its turn, leads off with less than thirty pages about the " genius" of Shakspere. The rest of the book being not so much apropos to Shakspere, as M. Victor Hugo would wish us to believe, as apropos to nearly every great man, ancient, medimval, and modern—personages as incongruously associated together in such an astounding gallimaufry of panegyric, as Orpheus and Rabelais, as Job and Kant, as Hermes and Beethoven, as St. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles and Mootgolfier the asseonaut, as Isaiah and Moliere, as Phiidias and' lzekiel, as Socrates and Washington. The whole of this extraordinary composition constituting in effect a sort of incoherent apotheosis of the Haman Race as typified in its Representative Men. That there are passages of resplendent eloquence in a work having so wide a range, is only what any one might reasonably have regarded as inevitable, emanating, as the volume does, from the hand of such a master of rhetoric as M. Victor Hugo—him self Poet, Orator, Novelist, Publicist, Critic, Man of Letters, and Man-of-Politics, if not actually Statesman and Philosopher as well, all rolled into one. Yet—admitting this—recognising the genius squandered over these pages—appreciating to the lull the varied intellectual power manifested at uncertain intervals throughout this elabo rate and lengthy monologue—we must still avow quite frankly that we look upon the work as a whole as unworthy alike of its great writer and of the yet greater theme upon which that great writer has therein so eloquently but so incoherently rhapso dized. As a whole, we repeat, the Book appears to us to be unworthy both of Victor Hugo and of William Shakspere. The author has himself evi denced, as we conceive, his own conscious• ness of the insufficiency of his labours here —where he, candidly confesses that, in all this, he is indulging in a sort of wild extravagance. Asking—when he says so—Why for once in a way ne should not be allowed so to do. In other words, it is as though, out of a wilful desire to indulge in a kind of an intellectual gallop over all creation, he had fairly flung the reins upon the neck of that lightning-eyed, thunder-footed Pegasus of his, which at the first page, as it were, he has bestridden at a boned. Naturally, again, we would even say, ine vitably, while careering thus over so boundless an expanse of themes, the hoofs of this for once wholly untrameiledPegasus of Victor Hugo's, strike thoughts out of the very dust, as it were, now one by one, now in showers and cascades of light--' like sparks into the darkness." Turning lightly, carelessly over these alternately sombre and flaming leaves nomi nally about Shakspere, but really de omnibus rebus et quibusdam aliis, let us catch hap-hazard some of these same flitting sparks of light as they glitter out upon our recognition " Homer is the huge poet child. The world is barn. Homer sings. He is the bird of this aurora." " Juvenal whips with cutting thongs; Dante scourges with flames. Juvenal condemns; Dante damns." " Music is the vapour of art, It is to poetry what reverie is to thought." " The theatre is a crucible of civilization." " The Greek drama had occasionally strophes as powerful as swords. It rushed on the scene wearing the helmet. It was an ode around cap-a-pie. Take, however, for once, a longer passage, as affording a far more signal illustration of the abounding beauty and eloquence lavished by Victor Hugo upon this wayward and wandering dis quisition of his apropos to Shakspere. Take his definition of some omng the countless marvels noticeable in "Hamlet." He has already remarked upon the strange reality which characterises poeti cal creations. WLerenpon he seizes the occasion to observe that there is no more striking evidence that it is so than this very type — HAMLET. Hamlet has nothing belonging to an abstraction about him. He has been at the University ; ho has the Danish rudeness softened by Italian politeness ; he is small, plump, somewhat lymphatic; he fences well with the sword, hut is soon out of breath. He does not care to drink too soon during the assault of arms with Laertes, probably for fear of producing perspiration. After having thus supplied his personage with real life, the poet can launch him into full ideal. There is ballast enough. Other works of the human mind equal " Hamlet," none surpasses it. The whole majesty of melancholy is in Hamlet, An open sepulchre from which goes forth a drama, this is colossal. Hamlet, is to our mind, Shake speare's chief work. No figure among those that poets have created is more poignant and stirring. Doubt counselled by a ghost, that is Hamlet. Hamlet has seen his dead father and has spoken to him. Is he convinced ? No, he shakes his head. What shall he do ? He does not know. His hands clench, then fall by his side. Within him are conjectures, sys tems, monstrous apparitions, bloody recollections, vene ration for the spectre, hate, tenderness, anxiety to act and not to act, his father, his mother, his duties in contradiction to each other, a deep storm. Livid hesitation is in his mind. Shakespeare, wonderful plastic poet, makes the grandiose pallor of this soul almost visible. Like the great larva of Albert Darer, Hamlet might be named "Melan cholia," He also has above his head the bat which flies embowelled, and at his feet science, the sphere, the compass, the hour-glass, love, and behind him in the horizon an enormous terrible sun which seems to make the sky but darker, Nevertheless at least one half of Hamlet is anger, trans port, outrage, hurricane, sarcasm to Ophelia, malediction on his mother, insult to himself. He talks with the grave diggers, nearly laughs, then clutches Laertes by the hair in the very grave of Ophelia and stamps furiously upon the c ane. Swordthrusts at Polonius, swordthrusts at Laertes, swordthrusts at Claudius. From time to time his inaction is torn in twain, and from the rent comes forth thunder. He is tormented by that possible life, intermixed with reality and chimera, the anxiety of which is shared by all of us. There is in all his actions an expanded somnambulism. One might almost consider his brain as a formation ; there is a layer of suffering, a layer of thought, then a layer of dreaminess, It is through this layer of dreaminess that he feeht, comprehends, learns, perceives, drinks, eats, frets, mocks, weeps, and reasons. There is between life and him a transparency; it is the wall of dreams; one sees beyond, but one cannot step over it. A kind of cloudy obstacle everywhere surrounds Hamlet. have you ever whilst sleeping had the nightmare of pursuit or flight, and tried to hasten on, and felt anchylosis in the knees, heaviness in the arms, the horror of paralysed hands, the iu possibility of movement? This nightmare Hamlet undergoes whilst waking. Hamlet is not upon the spot where his life is. He has ever the appearance of a man who talks to you from the other side of a stream. He calls to you at the same time that he questions you. Ho is at a distance from the catastrophe in which he takes part, from the passer-by whom he interrogates, from the thought that ha carries, from the action that he performs. He seems not to touch even what he grinds, It is isolation in its h ghest degree. It is the lonelinr, 38 of a mind, even more than the l o ftiness of a prince. I n d ec i s i on i s i n fact a solitude. You h ave not even your will to keep y ou company. I t i s as if your own of self was absent and h a d l e f t you t h ere. Th e burden Hamlet is less rigid th an th a t o f O res t es, b u t moreun,.du lating; Orestes car r i es p re d es ti nat i on, H am l e tcal:ri . e _s fate. a And thus apart fro m men , H am l e t h as still in hira something which repr esen t s th em a ll. Agnosco f ra trem. have At certain hours, if w e f e lt our own pu l se , we would conscience of his fever. His s t range rea lity is our own reality after all. He is the funeral man that in certain situations, Unhealthy as he is, hamlet all are tunlet Vl3rMes a permanent condition of man. B e represents the discom fort of the soul in a lire which is not sufficiently adapted to it. He represents the shoe that pinches and stops our walking; the shoe is the body. Shakespeare frees him from it, and he is right. Hamlet—prince if you like, but king never—Hamlet is incapable of governing a people, he lives too much in a world beyond. On the other hand, he does better than to reign ; he is. Take from him his family, his country, his ghost, and the whole adventure at Elsinore, and even in the form of an inactive type, he remains strangely terrible. That is the consequence of the amount of humanity and the amount of mystery that is in him. Hamlet is formidable, which does not prevent his being ironical. He has the two profiles of destiny. In all which there is, as we take it, much o f subtle criticism. As there is also, abundantly dis cernible in other portions of the work, in which the great French poet descants upon divers other among the marvellous creations of the Great Poet not of England merely, not of et tido. n Europeans even, but of tae vast and countless race of Humanity. Othello, for example, and Gordolia—Falstaff and Macbeth— Portia and lago—with the rest, not alike, but in the widest imaginable way dissimilar. lu. asmuch as the book will, doubtless, ac complish its primary object, it may be pronounced successful. It will, without doubt, serve to llx the general attention both here in Eng land and yonder in France, upon the dawning literary exploit of the author's accomplished son, namely, the latter's translation (for the first time worthily) of the immortal works of William Shak spere. Otherwise, the book here under -con sideration is little better than a superb failure. It is so wondrous in art, and yet so flawed and incomplete, that it is more unsatisfactory tha❑ a torso just issued as a torso from the hand of some consummate sculptor. It is as if a Praxitiles had presented to the world quite newly from his atelier, just fresh from his wonder-working chisel, aTneseus as marred in form, and yet as marvellous in anatomy (what there is of it) as the Theseus of the Elgin Marbles! No hands—mere stumps ! No feet—again mere Stumps of limbs Here and there the wondrous surface jagged and splintered. The heroic visage itself—noseless ! As faulty, yet as noble,in its outline is this august, yet, at the same time, this grotesquely incomplete egigtes of Shakspere. We read it at once provoked and delighted. It seems at one and the same moment—all through—to captivate our imagination and to outrage our judgment. And it is significative of the unsatisfactory bearing of the whole of this oratorical rhapsody in honour of Shakspere and of a good many others besides Shakspere, that it closes the enumeration of the great names the author therein especially desires to eulogize by the mention of one so holy and so divine, that the mere allusion to it hero among those who, in spite of their won drous genius, are, after all, the mereest mortals, sounds to us, reads to us, startles us, torments us like nothing less than a flagrant and certainly a wholly uncalled-for profanity. Southern Independence, Last evening a public meeting was held at the Town Hall, Ashton-under-Lyne, "to take into consideration the propriety of memorialising Go vernment to at once acknowledge the independence of the Southern States of America." The chair was occupied by Dr Lees. About 800 people were present. The Chairman said that the crisis at which American affairs have now arrived justified the people of this country in expressing an opinion oa the subject. The present attack upon Richmond, by General Grant, was the fourth or fink that the Northern army had made; and if it failed the time would then arrive 'when European Governments should step in between the combatants, The Chair man concluded by reading a letter from the Rev. J. P. Hoppa, Dakiefield.who expressed sympathy with the Southern States.—Dr Vernon moved a resolu tion affirming that the time had come when the people of that town were entitled to express an opinion on the matter.—Mr. C. Brook seconded the resolution, which was carried by a large majority. —The Rev. F. H. Williams moved a resolution ex pressing an opinion that the Southern States had justly won their right to a Government of their own choice .; and that the timely recognition of such right by the Government of England, followed as it probably would be by other European Go vernments, would, under the present circumstances, tend to hasten the conclusion of the unjust and cruel warfare which is being waged by the Federw against the Confederate Government; and that meeting accordingly respectfully submitted to her Mojesty's Ministers the propriety of taking such steps to that end as they might think prudent in concert with other European Powers. lit also moved that if the resolution was carried, it should be forwarded to Mr. Lindsay, M.P., in order to strengthen his position when he brought forward his promised resolution on this subject in the House of Commons. He said that after three years of strife, during which the success and gallantry of the South had been every day manifested, and whose cause had been illustrated by such men as Jack son, Beauregard, the gallant but bloody Longstreet, and Captain Semmes—(applause)—it was time the cause of the Confederates was recognised. The professed new rality which this country had pur sued was, as Mr. Bright described, a " friendly neutrality," but, unfortunately, it was on one side ; and it was but an illustration of that neutrality which this country witnessed the other day when the Kearsage sunk the Alabama with shells manu factured in Birmingham, and cannon forged in the arsenals of England. (Hear, hear.) If the recog nition was granted, it would be followed by a renewed prosperity to the people of Ashton, and by an extension of free trade principles to the Southern States. Mr. E. Hemingway seconded the motion, which was carried amidst loud aps plause. On the motion of Mr. G. Mellor, seconded by the Rev. R. V. Macdons, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the proceedings, which lasted little more than an hour, terminated. The Etna has arrived from N©w York with £244,767. The foreign exchanges yesterday afternoon w:.re rather lower. An arrangement was completed yesterday for the union of the banking firms of Messrs. Glyn, Mills, and Co., and Messrs. Curries and Co. The united business will, atter the 30th inst., be carried on, at 67, Lombard.street, nailer the firm of Glyn, Mills, Curries, and Co. The share certificates of the Provincial Banking Corporation are ready for delivery in exchange for the bankers' receipts. MR. COBDEN AND THE ROCHDALE REFORM ASSOCIATION.—The following letter, in reply to an address from the Rochdale Reform Association, has been forwarded by Mr. Cobden to Alderman Stewart :—" London, June H.—Dear Sir—l am duly favoured with your letter, enclosing the resolution of the general committee of the Rochdale Reform Association, informing me of the inten , lion of the Conservatives to bring forward a candidate at the next election. I have since had the opportunity of reading the very full and frank explanation of my opponent's views on public affairs, and I consider it creditable to him that, at a time when it is the fashion to endeavour to efface the old division lines of p o liti ca l p ar ties, and to inculcatethe the theory that there is no lo n ger any differen ce opinions of public men, he has scorned thateshpiarintotfurceemas promise, and givroo e xp res sion to views of nu t o y a s ff e afford a A v u e r e y l e c e l t e o a r r al a c n o d u t e t , 11 w i g h i l n e g i srse u a e t b p e l t in w e e i e p n le h s i w m h o i n ch d purify the political atmosphe re are at cheerfulne ss issue with stake,ts an ordeal not confi dencew o sharel yo i n fu theu th p e r oc h fio a mt a n bi d nl s eg, o 8 f tain t u h dg e gllca' constituency.eleavingcept with the Thanking most cordially the body over which you preside for its hearty assurance of support, I remain, dear Sir, yours, &c., RD. COBDEIi." THE EFFECTS OF WAR.—A native of Worcester, writing to his brother in that city, gives a brief but perfect picture of indiuidual loss during the presant terrible war in America :—" I have made nothing during this war by my hard-earned labour, but, on the contrary, have lost all my property. My farm was in the valley of Mission Ridge, and a part of the battle ground. The fight was over my pro perty, and destroyed my fine house, stable and barn. The waggons and live stock were taken by the soldiers. My fence round 15 acres of land was also destroyed ; and still to make it worse, I lost all my timber land, so that I have not a tree left to make a fence rail. All is a perfect waste, and desolation reigns around that portion of country which was previously so flourishing. The land is no use to me now. Ido not think I shall do anything with it any more such is my bad luck. 1 did not save a piece of furniture or a rag of clothes ; I did not save 25 cents worth of all I had in this world,''—Birmingham .Post. 417:' d'art HER MAJESTY, WINDSOR CASTLE, June 21. The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Princess llelena, drove out yesterday afternoon attended by Lord Charles Fitzroy. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse, Princess Louise, and Prince Arthur also tock a drive in an open carriage and four. Tile Earl and Countess De la Warr arrived at the Castle and had the honour of dining with her Mejesty and the Royal family. The Queen, accompanied by their Royal High nesses the Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, and Princess Beatrice, went to Buckiugham Palace this morning, attended by Lady Caroline Barrington, Made., moiselle de Grancy, Lord Charles Fitzroy, and Lieu tenant-Colonel the Hon. D. Ros. Afterwards Princess Beatrice visited the Dean of Westminster and Lady A. Stanley, attended by Mademoiselle Norelle. Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse attended the evening service at St• George's Chapel on Sunday last. Prince Arthur, attended by Major Elphinstopet left the Castle this afternoon /or Bucking Palace. Viscount Palmerston and the Earl of Clarendon had audience of the Queen at Buckingham Palace• His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited her Majesty. • The infant Prince Albert Victor also came to the Palace to see her Majesty. The Queen, accompanied by Prince and Prince" Louis ot Hesse and Princess Beatrice, left Bucking ham Palace at 6 o'clock and visited their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House. Thence her Majesty proceeded in an open car' riage and four to the Padliogton Station for Windsor Castle, attended by the Marchioness of Ely, the Hon. Mrs. Bruce, the Hon. Horatia stop ford, the Hon. Harriet Phipps, Mademoiselle de Grancy, Lord Charles Fitzroy, and Colonel the Hon. D. de Ros. His Royel Highness Prince Alfred accompani ed the Queen to Windsor. The Marchioness of Ely has succeeded the (2 ° ll/14 teas of Desert as Lady in Waiting. Lord de Tabley and Colonel the lion. August° Liddell have succeeded Lord Rivers and Lieut.' General Sir Henry Bentinck as the Lora and Groo ol in Waiting. The Prince and Princess of Wales. - • The Prince of W a l es, accompanied by Fri°co Alfred, rode out on horseback yesterday forenoon' The Prince and Princess of Wales afterwards took a carriage drive. In the evening the Prince of Wales went to the Adelphi Theatre, attended by Lieut.-Col. Keppel• Recruits for the Army. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. you allow me a small space in your coIUW I to c trrect an error into which " Common Sense" has fallen, in a letter which appeared in The Sun yesterday, on the subject of recruits for:the army. 4, Common Sense" argues that the scourge and the brand alone deter men from enter" ing the army. Now as flogging and branding are only re sorted to when all other punishments fail, or, M other words, when a man is incorrigible, " Common Sense" would argue that all those who enlist, or rather who are at present prevented from enlisting through fear of these punishments, are incorrigible ; but no well-conducted man ever runs the slightest risk of being either flogged or branded. The British soldier is taken tar better care of now than he was 50 years ago. E very indulgence is given w the deserving veteran every encouragement to the aspiring recruit. There must be a scale of punishments and that scale of punishment is not severe. It is only when a man has proved himself undeserving of indulgence, and unworthy of milder treatment, that he is flogged as a scoundrel or branded as a deserter. It is not for the Go vernment but for the soldiers themselves, by good and steady behaviour, to exterminate the scourge and the brand from the British army. UNCOMMON SENSE'. Tuesday, June 21. WHO'S GRIFFITH! (From the Owl.) The walls and other public places in the neigh• bourhood, of the Metropolis, that are habitually covered with posters conveying much interesting information in a type which those who run may read, have for the last 18 months been placarded with the pregnant question— " WHO'S GRIFFITH" ? The question thus immediately addressed to the British Public has naturally given rise to Muc h speculation, and hitherto has defied solution. We believe we are in a position to supply the answe r ' It is to be found in the annals of Parliament. Sbouldt however, any doubt up on th e su b jec t s till perplel t the minds of our r e ad ers , we wou ld more partioll" Carly call attention t o th e f o ll ow i ng not i ce s, which appeared on the P ar li amentary N o tice Paper oe Thursday NOTICES OP MOTION, Mr D. Griffith—To ask whether there would be any ob jection to the whole of the order book being sent to =em bars weekly. Mr D. Griffith—To call attention to the circular inst leci by the Horse Guards for the recruiting of the arraY. Mr D. Griffith—To move that a select committee be a2' pointed to inqui re i n t o th e pract i ce o f li m i t i ng the appoin t ment of Postmaster. General to a Peer or Privy Councillor' _ Mr D. Griffith—To call the attention of the First Lord 0! the Treaeury to the dissatisfaction that might arise if I should appe ar th a t, b y means o f a want o f decision W energy. his Government should have failed in bringing °l° Danish question to a satisfactory settlement. Mr D. Griffith—On Civil Service Estimates, Revenu e Department. Vote 3—To call attention to the neglect 0 the Post-iffice authorities in not taking advantage of th : postal facilities afforded by railw a y s b e t ween Hungerf" . " and Devizes, Add to the above the astounding fact that Mr 1::/ • Griffith on the same evening spoke no less than it " times in Committee of Supply ; that this remarks able statesman, in addition to his herculean Parlia mentary labours, is to be daily seen practising at Wimbledon with an amount of perseverance and hich will insure his being returned as one of he Commons' shooting E.even ; and it will, Nve think, readily be admitted that Griffith of the walla can be none other than the hon. member for Devizes. SERIOUS ILLNESS OF MR. B. SPOONER, M.P. —lt is with deep regret we learn that our hatichd respPcted townsmen, the senior member for North War wickshire, is seriously ill. The state of Mr Spooner's health is suoh as to eause the utmost anxiety to his large circle of f r iends. We are glad, however, to be able to say, from in' quiries made yesterday, that the hon. member was a little better, although exceedingly weak.—Birminghant Gazette. THE bINKIIIO OF THE ALABAMA.--SOUTHAId r• TON, Tuesday.—Capt. Semmes, who was visited bf several gentlemen in th e ear l y part of the day, left ways Hotel this aft ernoon f or a country residence , to get a tow days' repose and quiet, being in a somewhat exha usted state from th e woun d i n hi s hand and expisure in the water. Mr Mason, the Confederate agent, returned to London by the 11 30 a.m, train to-day. Great c.riosity is telt as to the whereabouts and condition of the Kearsage, respecting which no cefinite intelligence can be obtained. TRIALS OF NEW LIFEBOATS. —Yesterday some satisfactory harbour trials were made with two fine lifeboats in the Regent's Canal Dock, Limehouse, under the Luperintendence of the officers of the National Lifeboat Institution. One of the lifeboats is 36 feet long, rad os to be stationed at Holyhead, and will, when practicable, 1;:c used in conjunction with a steam tug. The second boat 10 32 feet in length, and is to be placed at Dover. Both boatffs when tested, showed that they possessed the important qualities, of self-righting and self-ejecting; the water shipPed m the operation in an eminent degree. The Holyhead boat, which is named The Princess of Wales, is the liberal gift of Joseph Leather. Esq., cf Liverpool, who had previously given the Institution the cost of a lifeboat, and the cost of the Dover boat had been assiduously collected in Wiltshire by Captain A. J. Reed, R.N. Th e latter boat is called the Royal Wiltshire. There were pr•ct sent at the trials yesterday a large number of persons, ifr eluding Captain Kamen, of the Swedish Royal Navy. _ had been deputed by his Government to visit England, with t the view of examining some of the Institution's Lifeboat the view of examining some of the lutitUtioU end lean Stations. He had already seen several of them, en d expressed himself highly pleased with their efficiency and completeness,